GANACHE: Chocolate Ganache is a popular option for decorating with. It can be poured, whipped or piped. If piping, remember to use a plastic tip because a metal one heats too quickly.

CHOCOLATE PLASTIC: Chocolate plastic is essentially a modeling chocolate, made from a mixture of melted chocolate and corn syrup, kneaded into a pliable, playdough like consistency. (It tastes like a gourmet Tootsie Roll !) 

Chocolate plastic is an essential decorating tool and can be made into a variety of shapes, flowers or rolled into thin sheets. It's similar to marzipan in the way it's used, however it hardens faster. From the sheets you can make lovely and dramatic decorations, from ribbons and ruffles, to roses, flowers and borders. You can even use it to weave with.   

Chocolate Plastic can be made from white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate, with white chocolate tinted in a variety of colors. Dark works the best for decorations, while milk and white are better used when something soft and pliable is needed, such as covering a cake. 

How to Make Chocolate Plastic: First mix ingredients and place briefly in refrigerator to set. Then, knead, getting it ready to be able to be rolled, to make decorations with, etc.

To start, after mixing ingredients, remove from refrigerator and divide into four pieces. Depending upon what you are making, you will probably only use one piece at a time. 

Squeeze fat from piece(s) you are going to use with paper towels before kneading; the plastic is very stiff at first and you can only knead a portion of it at a time. Wrap the ones not used, tightly in plastic wrap. 

To knead, first lightly dust the work surface and the Chocolate Plastic piece(s) with sifted cocoa powder; it will keep them from sticking during kneading. Use more cocoa powder if plastic continues to stick to countertop. 

First, pound the piece(s) with a rolling pin to soften it. Then, knead until smooth and pliable; it takes awhile to soften it because its very hard. When it's ready, Chocolate Plastic can be used immediately to make decorations with.

If at any time the Chocolate Plastic becomes hard, you can soften it by kneading it again or by placing it in a microwave for 5 - 8 SECONDS on 50% power. Even placing it in a pan for about 30 to 35 minutes in a 220 degree F oven, will do the trick. Always knead after reheating. 

CIGARETTES:  Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on a hard surface; granite or marble works best. When the chocolate sets but is not firm, use a pastry triangle to create the cigarettes. Start about 1½ inches from an edge and push the chocolate into a roll (it will form naturally). Apply even pressure. Quickly remove to a previously chilled metal sheet pan lined with parchment or waxed paper. (Wipe all moisture from sheet pan because of freezer condensation before using). Be careful not to touch the cigarettes with your fingertips as they are warm and will melt the chocolate. If at any time they do, refrigerate until chilled.

CURLS: Make chocolate curls from chocolate. They are great to decorate with. White chocolate is harder to work with then dark because it is softer. Be careful not to touch the curls too much because they melt easily.

To make small curls: Warm a 4-ounce chunk of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate in a microwave for 30 seconds. Just warm the chocolate slightly--don't let it melt. (You may also warm the chocolate under a desk lamp.) Using a vegetable peeler, make the curls by pressing down while peeling them off the smoothest, widest edge of the chunk. The harder you press, the thicker the curls. Let the curls fall onto a waxed paper-lined preferably chilled metal sheet pan. Let set in a cool place. If at any time the curls start to droop or melt, refrigerate until ready to use.

To make large curls: melt the chocolate in a double boiler. (You can use just chocolate or 1 teaspoon shortening for every 2 ounces chocolate. I don't recommend adding shortening when using white or milk chocolate because it is already soft). Let chocolate cool slightly. Turn a baking sheet upside down. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the baking sheet, about 1/4-inch thick, with an offset metal icing spatula. Refrigerate 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is just firm but not brittle. Hold a metal spatula at a 45 degree angle or upside-down, press firmly into the chocolate, then push steadily ahead until a curl forms. With a toothpick or a small skewer, carefully lift the curls and place them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet or plate. Let stiffen  in the refrigerator until needed.

CUT-OUTS & MOLDING BY HAND:

Simple:

1. Melt chocolate and spread it about 1/8 inch thick on waxed paper or parchment paper.
2. Chill the chocolate until it is no longer soft, but not hard.
3. Use a sharp knife or cookie cutters to cut shapes from the chocolate--Circles, squares, stars, triangles, butterflies.
4. Chill the cutouts until you are ready to use them. Make sure the dessert you decorate has cooled so the cutouts won't get soft or melt.

Complex: 

Chocolate cut-outs are made from tempered chocolate or Chocolate Plastic. Each type has it's advantages: When using cutouts from tempered chocolate, they become stiff and cannot be molded easily by hand. On the other hand, after cutting, chocolate plastic can be further molded by hand and then allowed to set. 

DRIZZLES: It's fun to make free-form drizzles with melted chocolate, dark, milk and white (or with any left-over tempered chocolate. Here's how:

1. Cover the back of a large sheet pan or cardboard with tightly pulled plastic wrap. Make sure there are no wrinkles. 

2. Dip a spatula or fill a squeeze bottle in tempered chocolate and drizzle over plastic wrap. I like to first drizzle dark chocolate, followed by white.  You can also combine the two on the plastic by spreading together with a offset spatula.

3. Let set completely before removing. Sometimes it's easier to remove the plastic and then peel the decoration from it.

MARBLEIZE: You can marbleize molded chocolates, bowls or about anything else you can think of. The effect is so pretty. You make it with large swirls of contrasting tempered chocolate in a bowl . (For small chocolates, you can just melt chocolate or use candy melts, which come in a myriad of colors). Do not over do the marbleizing -- under-mix the chocolates at first and test by dipping a balloon into it. If the chocolate needs more marbleizing, then do so, a little at a time, until you get it right. 

First place tempered dark chocolate in a bowl. Then, with tempered white chocolate create six puddles on top  -- do not stir. Note: the white chocolate can be tinted in all sorts of colors.  

With a heat-proof rubber spatula, quickly swirl the white chocolate down through the dark in a folding motion. Do this several times after rotating the bowl in any direction a 1/4-turn.

Quickly spoon or place into molds, while mixture is still soft. Tap. Refrigerate until firm; unmold.

PAINT: (See also: Chocolate Basics ~ Tint Chocolate) Before filling a mold with tempered chocolate, it's cavities can have a thin application of contrasting tempered chocolate or tinted white chocolate "painted" on with a small watercolor brush. When unmolded, it looks as thought you painted the chocolate on top. For example, when making a bunny mold, paint the carrot with white chocolate tinted orange or colored candy melts. Let the design harden before filling the mold. Then pour the contrasting tempered chocolate to fill in the mold's cavity. When the chocolate is set and unmolded, it has a beautiful "painted" design on top. 

Don't thickly paint the mold's designs with colored chocolate all at once or that part will lose its shine when unmolded. Paint one layer of color at a time. After each application, refrigerate the mold a few seconds until candy is firm, repeating for each additional color. Fill mold to top with tempered chocolate, tap, refrigerate until firm and unmold.  

For very small details like vines, mouths and messages, you can pipe melted chocolate (does not have to be tempered because you are using small amounts), icing, etc. onto molded candies using a parchment bag with a small hole cut in the tip. Melt the candy separately before placing in parchment bags, then spoon it into bags. Using scissors, cut a small opening in tip and squeeze candy on molded candy. You can also reheat candy if it hardens in the bag by placing the bag back in the microwave. Just squeeze from the bag onto your molded candy. 

SHAVINGS: Pick the small grater holes of a box grater. Holding it over the frosted cake, take a large piece of chocolate (does not have to be tempered) and grate.  Work quickly because your hands are warm and will make a mess. Try not to touch the shavings for the same reason. It is probably best to press the shavings on when the icing is soft so that the shavings will adhere.

TRANSFER SHEETS: Transfer beautiful edible designs on plastic film (acetate) that transfer onto your melted chocolate!  Temper chocolate (any type) and spread over the transfer sheet. Either score to size you require before it sets. When set, remove pieces and adhere to "cold chocolate" with a little warm chocolate.